Chapter 7: Still Life

 “So you are expecting them this Friday, in like three days?” Nick took a deep sip of his drink as he looked back, making sure that Teo was following him outside the dairy shop.

“Yup.” The answer was swift and emotionless. He wanted to scream from the top of his lung, but he restrained himself.

“Bummer. Then again, why are you so afraid? Are they going to scold you? Or perhaps they will cut your monthly allowance?”

“I am not thirteen!” Teo exclaimed irritated.

“Exactly,” Nick grinned and stepped right in front of him, “you are not a teenager, and you have to reason to be afraid of them. Why the whole fuss? You can easily tell them to bugger off and leave you alone.” he took yet another sip and inhaled deeply at the sweet after taste. “After all, isn’t that what they have always been doing, never being there? Your words, not mine.”

“You have no idea what my parents are like. An evening with them is enough to drive you into depression, even someone as careless as you.”

“I doubt that. In my opinion, it always depends on you; whom you will allow to bring you down and make you doubt yourself. If I am certain of one thing, is that I wouldn’t let anyone do that to me again. You shouldn’t either.”

Teo sighed, pulling his backpack up and placing his hands in his pockets. “You and Carla have everything shorted out, don’t you?” But it wasn’t as easy as everyone believed. Fear had camped in his heart for good; the kind of fear that he was certain he had gotten rid of when he got married and began his very own path, leaving them behind him for good.

“Listen, in the end, I can talk to them, and trust me, they won’t even bother calling you again. I’ll make up a good constructed excuse like; you turned out such a rich guy from your programming-”

“Video game design.” Teo corrected him.

“That. Plus you are so busy going to big-ass conventions with important companies that you’ve got no time on your hands for stupid people.”

Nick winked at the other, but both his grin and joyful expression were erased. 

Teo wasn't amused at all. His head was lowered, while his gaze was fixed on the concrete. The boy was about to say something and even pat his back when the other simply spoke up.

“I know I shouldn’t be feeling bad. I do know that I don't have to welcome them into my life.” Teo’s gaze shot up to the dark sky, “But they are my parents, you know? I’d give everything for them to become a part of my everyday life; of them being proud of their son, even if I never turned out like my brother.” He straightened his body and exhaled loudly, shaking his head. “I know I will never have all those things but I can at least pretend for a couple of days. Well, I could pretend if Carla was here, anyways.”

Nick remained silent. There were times when he knew he could joke about stuff, be all talkative, and be a true tease to the other party, but he also knew when to shut up and listen, and this was one of those cases. He held the cup with the cold drink in both hands and watched the creamy-like liquid as it lured those chewy round boba balls into a slow enticing dance.

They were walking in silence for some while. Nick would throw a few glances over Teo’s side, wondering if he should talk or not. Then again, he was no expert in family issues. Hell, if he was Teo he wouldn’t even lose sleep over them. He’d shut them out of his life and pretend he was an orphan or something. Yes, sometimes, pretending can be a lifesaver.

“Ugh, is it already that late?” Teo’s voice echoed in his ears, breaking off that comfortable silence they had lost themselves in.

“Well, we were playing Volemon Go! for about two hours or so.” Nick took a quick sip of his drink. “We didn’t manage to get to the market, so we had to go to that dairy shop and you spent a good twenty minuted deciding whether you should buy instant noodles or mac n’ cheese,” he looked at Teo with a grin, “shall I go on?”

“No, please don’t. You have me covered, thank you. And for your information, I even thought of buying a simple salad. Healthy and quick to make.” He spoke proudly.

Nick looked at him with an eyebrow raised and a half grin “You do understand that in the end,” he pointed at the bag that Teo was carrying around “you ended up with ham and pineapple..”

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Teo took a glance at the bag and then his eyes met with Nick’s before they both end up laughing.

“We can share if you’d like.”

“I’m fine. You can have your bloody sandwich, alright. I’m not judging you, though.”

“Not a fan of this incredible thing?”

“Never was and never will be.”

They were walking all alone as the park was almost empty. Only a couple of people wandering around like them, some taking out their dogs whilst young boys and girls were lost in the very essence of their young love. Also, the weather was truly inviting you to take a walk outside; it wasn’t yet too cold, but the soft, refreshing breeze was a delight, after months of exaggerating heat.

It didn’t take them long to find an available bench. Nick swiftly -and almost elegantly-stepped on it, sitting on top, and Teo with a much more relaxed look on his face followed right after.

“It’s a shame, you know.”

“What exactly?” Teo’s greenish eyes looked at Nick, who shrugged before munching on those little balls of his drink.

“We never got the chance to hang out when you were still a married man. I bet we’d have a great time, you and I.”

“Right.” Teo couldn’t think of anything else to say. After all, he was the one pushing Nick away from him as he truly thought he was just a man-child who was constantly refusing to mature and act his age. Plus, he seemed to get quite along with Carla, why would he be interested in him? Teo was not the guy to care about the life of others, he wasn’t into fashion or art. He’s only a geeky dude who turned his passion for video games into a promising career. “Listen, I got to apologize for saying all that stuff the other day. I didn’t mean it. I’m not usually like this; mean and grumpy.”

“I wish you were more often like that. It doesn’t suit you, but you seem like a man who needs to get all that steam off somehow. And between you and me? I wouldn’t ask my help either... for anything.” The last words were told in a softer tone, giving the impression to Teo that Nick was talking to himself. It was an inner dialogue he shared with the rest of the world.

“You know what? Let’s go for some Volemon Go! When they leave, what do you say?”

“I’ll have to think about it, Teo. I lost two legendary Volemons because of you.” Nick teased him, lightening up the mood for both of them.

Soon after, they returned to the apartments, exhausted but feeling better than at the start of the day. Nick walked towards the door, pulling the keys out of his jacket’s pockets, ready to open it.

“I guess I’ll see you around?” he asked hesitatingly.

Teo had already opened the door, almost a foot inside his apartment. He didn’t turn to look at him, a desperate perhaps move to hide his genuine smile.

“Sure. I’ll wait for you to bump into me” he joked and shut the door.

Nick remained for just a second in the hallway; a silent chuckle escaping his lips before disappearing into the stillness of his apartment.

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